Wild Plum Fool with Sponge Fingers Recipe

Wild Plum and Damson Fool photo
Credit: The Great British Farmhouse Cookbook

serves:

4
- 6

Nutrition per portion

RDA

Calories

Array kCal

0%

Fat

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0%

- Saturates

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0%

Ingredients

300g wild plums or damsons, stoned and cut into wedges

75g caster sugar

200ml double cream

For the custard:

2 large free-range egg yolks

20g caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

100ml double cream

100ml whole milk

For the sponge fingers (makes approx. 30):

3 large free-range eggs, separated

90g caster sugar

75g plain flour

6 tbsp icing sugar

Method

For the custard, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla together in a bowl until thick and pale. Bring the cream and milk to the boil in a non-stick pan, then whisk into the yolk mixture. Return the lot to the pan and stir over a low heat until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool, then chill for at least 4 hours.

Put the plums or damsons into a pan with the sugar and stir over a medium heat until the juices start to run, then increase the heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked. Rub the mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Cool, then cover and chill along with the custard.

For the sponge fingers, preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Beat the egg whites in a large clean bowl into soft peaks. Whisk in the caster sugar, one teaspoon at a time, to make a stiff and glossy meringue. Lightly beat the egg yolks and gently fold into the meringue, then sift over the flour and fold in. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle and pipe 2cm wide strips in 8-10cm long lines across two large lined baking sheets, leaving 5cm between each one. Dust with half the icing sugar and leave to rest for 5 minutes, then dust with the remaining icing sugar and bake for 10 minutes. Leave to cool, then store in an airtight tin until needed.

To serve, whip the cream in a large mixing bowl until it just begins to form soft peaks. Gently fold in the custard and plum purée until only just mixed. Spoon into a serving bowl and serve with the sponge fingers for dipping.